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6 



PROCEEDINGS 






CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 

OF THE 

STATE OF NEW-YORK, 

ON THE 

BURNING OF THE SHIP BRILLIANT, 

BY THE 

REBEL PIRATE ALABAMA, 

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1862. 



NEW-YORK : 

JOHN W. A MERMAN, PRINTER, 

No. 47 Cedar Street. 



1862. 



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PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 



STATE OF NEW-YORK, 



ON THK 



BURNING OF THE SHIP BRILLIANT, 



BY THE 



REBEL PIRATE ALABAMA, 

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1862. 



NEW-YORK: 

JOHN W. AMERMAN, PRINTER, 
No. 47 Cedar Stbekt. 



1862. 



Chamber of Commerce of the State of IVew-York. 



PEOOEEDrtSTGS 

OF THE 

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 

OF THE 

ST-A^TE OF NEW-TTORK:, 

ON THE 

BURNING AT SEA OF THE SHIP BRILLIANT, 

AKD OTHER VESSELS, BY 

THE I^EBEL PIRATE ALABAMA. 



At a special meeting of the Chamber of Commerce of the 
State of New-York, held Tuesday, October 21st, 1862, "to 
consider what action, if any, should be taken in consequence 
of the burning at sea, by the steamer Alabama, of the ship 
Brilliant and other vessels," Mr. A. A. Low, the Yice- 
President of the Chamber, having vacated the chair in 
favor of Mr. R. B. Mintdkn, presented the following ad- 
dress and resolutions : 

Mr. Chairman: 

Since the outbreak of the rebellion in the Southern 
States, which has resulted in civil war, three events have 
occurred which possess a national interest, and are of very 
considerable importance to the whole maritime world. I 
refer to the destruction of one hundred light-houses, more 
or less, which had been erected by the Government of 
the United States along our Southern coast, from the 



Chesapeake Bay to Florida, and from Florida throughout 
the Gulf of Mexico, from Key "West to Matamoras. 

On every cape and headland these beacon-lights shone 
out, and on every inland shore, alike as a warning to the 
sailor against the breakers on the coast, and as a guide " to 
his destined haven." 

The darkness of night is still unrelieved alons: this en- 
tire line of coast, except at points — now not a few — where 
the national power has been re-established and the lights 
restored. 

This wholesale destruction of these hundred light-houses, 
or the removal of the lights therefrom, was suffered to take 
place without any special condemnation of the perpetrators 
of this wrong against the race of men " who go down to 
the sea in ships;" or, if the act has been condemned 
abroad, it has failed, if I mistake not, to attract any formal 
notice of foreign powers. 

The second event, in order, was the " stone blockade," 
by which it was attempted to stop, for a time, the main 
entrance to the port of Charleston, S. C. — an act deliber- 
ately done, after due notice, and not necessarily exposing 
ships, in pursuit of a lawful traffic, to destruction ; nor, as 
is now abundantly evident, doing a permanent injury to 
navigation. Nevertheless, the stone blockade was thought 
to be of such importance as to justify the protest of Great 
Britain ; and, by the press of England, the act was de- 
nounced as a flagrant offence against the commercial 
world. 

The third event — if I may describe a whole class as 
one — is the recent destruction by fire, on the Atlantic 
Ocean, of the ship " Brilliant," and numerous other ves- 
sels, under the American flag, by a steamship, which re- 
cently put to sea from the port of Liverpool or Birkenhead, 
and is now known as the " Alabama." This act awaits 
the judgment of " neutral" nations, whose opinion thereon 
will doubtless be expressed in due time. 

Of the "stone blockade" established by the United 



States government, which so promptly called forth the ani- 
madversion, if not malediction, of our censors on the other 
side of the Atlantic, it may justlj' be said, that it was an 
innocent imitation of a method steadily but more efltectu- 
ally pursued by the rebels to shut out from their ports the 
people to whom they rightfully belong. 

The other two of the occurrences referred to, viz., the 
destruction of light-houses on tiie coast, and burning of 
ships on the ocean, are progressive steps of a self styled 
confederacy, by which a people, without a name among the 
civilized nations of the earth, seek to become known, and 
claim a recognition ; a people who burn their own "King" 
(cotton) that he may not become a benefactor of man; who 
would dethrone all the principles of justice that they may 
found another kingdom, whose " corner stone" shall not be 
freedom of man, but the slavery of a race. 

As a preface to a series of resolutions which I propose 
to submit to the Chamber, I will, with your permission, 
read a statement which has appeared in the daily papers 
of the city, as emanating from Captain Hagar, of the ship 
" Brilliant." 

" Captain Hagak reports that he was from Kew-York, 
" bound to London. On the morning of October 3d, in lati- 
" tude 40, longitude 50.30, the wind from K. E.. a large ship 
" in company about a mile to windward. Soon after, a 
" steamer was seen on the weather-bow, standing to the 
" westward, under sail. The steamer, on nearing the ship to 
" the windward, ran up at her peak the St. George Cross, 
" and, in a few minutes after, fired a gun across her bow, at 
" the same time displaying the Confederate flag. The Ameri- 
" can colors were set and the ship hove-to, and a boat from 
" the steamer went alongside. The steamer then came round 
" and made sail for the Brilliant. We set our colors, and, 
" on the steamer nearing us, fired a gun across our stern, 
" when we hove-to. A boat was then sent alongside, with 
" twooflacersand a boat's crew, all armed, and on their reach- 



" ing the deck of the ship claimed her a prize to the Con- 
" federate steamer Alabama, Captain Semmes, with orders 
" for me to go in the boat to the steaoier, with all my ship's 
"papers. 

" On arriving on board, after waiting awhile, was asked 
" in the cabin to have my papers examined. The ship not 
" having any documents to prove that her cargo was on for- 
*' eign account, the papers and cargo were confiscated. I 
" was then ordered on board the ship to assist with my crew 
" and boats in removing such stores and cargo as they wanted 
" for their own use, and to bring my officers and crew, with 
" but a small bag of clothing each, on board the steamer, as 
" they would not be lumbered up with our baggage. On 
" arriving back to the steamer with my crew, was ordered 
" to the other vessel, which proved to be the ship Emily 
"Farnham, of Portsmouth, Kew-Hampshire, Captain SiMMs, 
" from New- York, for Liverpool. The ship was claimed as 
" a prize, and the captain was on board the steamer having 
" his papers examined. 

" Documents being found among them to prove that his 
" cargo was on English account, his ship was released. 

" On board the steamer were the captains, officers and 
" crews (fifty-four in all) of the whaling barks Yirginia and 
" Elisha Dunbar, of New-Bedford, captured and burned at 
" sea. Both these crews, with those of the Brilliant, were 
" put on board the Emily Farnham after being paroled. 

" During the remainder of the day the steamer's officers 
" and crew were plundering the Brilliant of her cargo and 
" stores, and every thing they chose to take. All of Captain 
" Hagar's private property, such as his chronometer, sex- 
" tant, barometer, charts, books, &c., and a large part of his 
" clothing, were taken from him, the officers of the steamer 
" claiming every thing. During the afternoon a large ship 
" was in sight to the southward, heading to the eastward, and 
" they had their eyes upon her. It was now nearly or quite 
" calm, and continued so during the night. At sunset the 
" Brilliant was fired ; at 7 P. M. was in flames, fore and aft, 



" the Emily Farnhain lying about a mile from her. The ship 
" continued to burn all night. In the morning the steamer 
" was close at hand, and the ship seen the afternoon before 
" had worked up to the burning wreck during the night, pro- 
" bably with the expectation of saving life, but at daylight 
" found herself in the clutches of her destroyer! It continued 
" calm nearly all day, and but a light air during the night. 
" Towards midnight a bright light was seen in the direction 
" of the steamer, and it ia more than probable it was from 
" the third ship. 

" Three of the crew of the Brilliant (all Englishmen) vol- 
" unteered on the Alabama. The Emily Farnham continued 
" on her voyage, but having the officers and crews of three 
" burned vessels (sixty-eight in all) besides her own, had not 
" water enough. On the 6th inst. fell in with brig Golden 
" Lead, of Thomaston, Captain Smith, who kindly consented 
" to take on board eight of the number. The remainder 
" would be put on board vessels as fallen in with. The 
" Brilliant was built by Samuel Hall, and launched at East 
" Boston in November, 1860 ; was 839 tons register, and, 
" with her freight and outfits, was valued at $80,000 ; rated 
" A 1. She was owned by Messrs. J. Atkins & Co., of New- 
" York, and Captain Hagar. All the property Captain 
" Hagak possessed was in the ship, and not having the war 
" risk in his insurance, has lost every thing. 

" The Brilliant had no guns. 

" The Brilliant had the following cargo : 



" Flour, bbls. 5,231 

" Wheat, bush. 30,456 

" Beef, tea. 43 

"Pork, bbls. 26 

"Pork, tcs. 8 

" Zinc oxide, casks, 4 



Tallow, lbs. 27,424 

Butter, lbs. 19,956 

Lard oil, galls, 8,043 

Cocoa, bags, 242 

Bacon, lbs. 12,200 

Pork heads, hhds. 9 



"Zinc oxide, bbls. 200 ' Staves, No. 8,640 

" The following are the names of the vessels burnt by the 
" Alabama as far as heard from : 

« Ship Brilliant, of New-York. 

"Ship Ocmulgee, of New-Bedford, whaler. 



*'Ship Benjamin Tucker, of New-Bedford, whaler. 

" Ship Ocean Rover, of Mattapoisett, whaler. 

"The ship, name unknown, destroyed the day after the 
" Brilliant. 

" Bark Virginia, of New-Bedford, whaler. 

"Bark Elisha Dunbar, of New-Bedford, whaler. 

" Bark Alert, of New-London, whaler. 

" Schooner Altamaha, of Sippican, whaler. 

"Schooner Weather-Gage, of Provincetown, whaler. 

" Schooner Admiral Blake, of Sippican, whaler. 

" Schooner Courser, of Provincetown, whaler. 

" Schooner Starlight, of Boston. 

"There were one hundred and ninety-one prisoners 
" landed on the Island of Flores from the Alabama. 

" To the Editors of the New- York Journal of Commerce : 

" Gentlemen, — Please publish the enclosed description of 
" the steamer, without one word being abridged, as the in- 
" formation is invaluable to government and ship-owners 
" generally. Every part of the vessel, from truck to kelson, 
" is accurately and faithfully described, and she would be 
"known, by referring to it, by any of our navy officers, or 
" merchant ship-masters, that might fall in with her. 

" George Hagar, 
^^Late Master of the Ship Brilliant, 

"Description of the Confederate Steam Propeller 
"Alabama. 

" The Alabama was built at Liverpool or Birkenhead, and left the latter port 
" in August last ; is about 1,200 tons burden, draft about fourteen feet, engines 
"by Laird & Sons, of Birkenhead, 1862. She is a wooden vessel, propelled 
"by a screw, coppered bottom, about 210 feet long, rather narrow, painted 
" black outside and drab inside, has a round stern, billet head, very little 
" shear, flush deck fore and aft, a bridge forward at the smoke stack, carries 
" two large black boats on cranes amidships forward of the main rigging, two 
" black quarter-boats between the main and mizzen masts, one small black boat 
" over the stern on cranes. The spare spars on a gallows between the bridge 
" and foremast show above the rail. She carries three long 32-pounders on a 
" side, and is pierced for two more amidships ; has a 100 pound rifled pivot 
"gun forward of the bridge, and a 68 pound pivot on the main deck; has 



9 

" tracks laid forward for a pivot 'bow-gun, and tracks aft for a pivot stern- 
" chaser, all of which she will take on board to complete her armament, fler 
" guns are of the Blakely pattern, and manufactured by 'Wesley & Preston, 
" Liverpool, 1862. She is bark rigged, has very long bright lower masts and 
" black mast-heads, yards black, long yard-arms, short poles, (say one to two 
" feet,) with small dog vanes on each, and appendant to the main studding-sail 
" booms on the fore and main, and has wire rigging, carries on her foremast 
" a square foresail, large trysail with two reefs, topgallant sail and royal. On 
" the mainmast, a large trysail with two reefs and a bonnet. No square main- 
" sail bent, topsail two reefs, topgallant sail and royal. On the mizzen mast, 
" a very large spanker and a short three-cornered gaft topsail, has a fore and 
" foretopmast staysail and jib. Has had no staysails to the main or mizzen 
" masts bent, or royal yards aloft. 

" It is represented to go thirteen knots under canvas and fifteen under 
" steam. Can get steam in twenty minutes, but seldom uses it, except in a 
" chase or emergency. Has all national flags, but usually sets the St. G eorge's 
" Cross on approaching a vessel. Her present complement of men is 120, all 
" told, but is anxious to ship more. Keeps a man at the masthead from day- 
" light to sunset. 

"Her sails are of hemp canvas, made very reaching ; the topsails have 
" twenty cloths on the head and thirty on the foot. General appearance of 
" the hull and sails decidedly Englisli. She is generally under two topsails, 
" fore and main topsails, fore and foretopmast staysails, sometimes topgallant 
" sails and jib, but seldom any sail on the mizzen, except while in chase of a 
"vessel. She is very slow in stays, generally wears ship. She was built 
" expressly for the business. She is engaged to destroy, fight or run, as the 
" case may be. She took her armament and ci'ew, and most of her officers, 
" on board near Terciera, Western Islands, from an English vessel. Her 
" crew are principally English, the officers chivalry of the South. 

" All the water consumed on board is condensed. She has eight months 
" provisions, besides what is being plundered, and has about four hundred 
" tons of coal on board, 

" The following are the names of her officers : 

"Captain Skmmes, Commander-in-Chief ; First-Lieutenant, Kell ; Second- 
" Lieutenant, Armstrong; Third-Lieutenant, Wilson; Fourth-Lieutenant, 
" Low ; Sailing Master, Sinclair ; Lieutenant of Marines, Howell, brother- 
" in-law of Jeff. Davis; Corporal, Fullam; Gunner, Curdy ; Captain's Clerk, 
"Smith; Midshipmen, Maffitt, Sinclair, Bullock; Chief-Engineer, Frke- 
"man; Carpenter, Robinson; Boatswain, McCaskie; Doctor, Surgeon, <fec., 
" unknown." 



The resolutions I have to submit are the following, viz. : 

Besolved, That this Chamber has heard with profound 
emotion the graphic account given by Captain Hagak, of 



10 

the burning of his ship, " Brilliant," on the 8d day of 
October, instant, a portion of which is in the following 
words : 

" At sunset the Brilliant was fired ; at 7 P. M. was in 
" flames fore and aft, the Emily Farnham lying about a mile 
" from her. The ship continued to burn all night. In the 
" morning the steamer was close at hand ; and the ship seen 
" the afternoon before had worked up to the burning wreck 
" during the night, probably with the expectation of saving 
" life, but at daylight found herself in the clutches of her 
" destroyer ! It continued calm during all day, and but a 
" light air during the night. Towards midnight a bright 
" light was seen in the direction of the steamer, and it is 
" more than probable it was from the third ship." 

Resolved^ That in view of this atrocity, it is the duty of 
this Chamber to announce, for the information of all who 
are interested in the safety of human life — the life of ship- 
wrecked passengers and crews — that henceforth the light 
of a burning ship at sea will become to the American 
sailor the signal that lures to destruction j and will not be, 
as in times past, the ieacon to guide the generous and in- 
trepid mariner to the rescue of the unfortunate. 

Resolved^ That henceforth, self-preservation will be the 
first dictate of prudence, as it is the " first law of nature ;" 
and consequently, that the destruction of the " Brilliant'^ 
can be only characterized as a crime against humanity ; and 
all who have knowingly and willingly aided and abetted, 
must be considered as participators in the crime. 

Resolved, That this Chamber has not failed to notice a 
rapid change in British sentiment, transforming a friendly 
nation into a self styled " neutral" power, the nature of 
whose neutrality is shown in permitting ships to go forth 
with men, and in permitting an armament to follow them 
for the detestable work of plundering and destroying 
American ships, thus encouraging upon the high seas an 
offence against neutral rights, on the plea of which, in the 



11 

case of the " Trent," the British government threatened to 
phinge this country into war. 

Resolved^ Further, that the outrage of consigning to de- 
struction, by fire, without adjudication, British and Ameri- 
can property together, is an aggravation of the oflFence 
against the rights of neutrals, and ought to be denounced 
as a crime by the civilized nations of the world. 

Resolved^ That this Chamber has heard, with amaze- 
ment, that other vessels are fitting out in the ports of Great 
Britain, to continue the work of destruction begun by the 
" Alabama ;" an enormity that cannot be committed on the 
high seas without jeoparding the commerce and peace of 
nations. 

Resolved,, Further, that it is the duty of this Chamber to 
warn the merchants of Great Britain, that a repetition of 
such acts as the burning of the " Brilliant," by vessels fitted 
out in Great Britain, and manned by British seamen, can- 
not fail to produce the most wide-spread exasperation in 
this country ; and, hence, tliey invoke the influence of all 
men who value peace and good-will among the nations, to 
prevent the departure of other vessels, of the character re- 
ferred to, from their ports, and so to avert the calamity of 
war. 

Resolved, That it is the desire of this Chamber, as it is 
the interest of all its members, to cherish sentiments of 
amity with the people of Great Britain, to maintain those 
cordial relations which have led to profitable intercourse, 
and to strengthen the ties that knit them together in mutual 
courtesy and respect. 

Resolved, That copies of the foregoing preamble and 
resolutions be sent to the Hon. Secretary of State, and the 
Hon. Secretary of the Navy, of the United States, and to 
the Boards of Trade of London and Liverpool. And that 
the Secretary of State be requested to transmit copies of 
the same to the diplomatic agents of the United States, for 
distribution in other commercial countries. 

The resolutions were seconded by Mr. Chakles H. Mar- 



12 

SHALL, and supported by Mr. Low in the following re- 
marks : 

Sir, — I desire to say a few words in addition to these reso- 
lutions, and first, with regard to the destruction of the light- 
houses along our coast. In Blunt's work, the Coast Pilot, 
that gentleman says, that the Eddystone light-house, in 
the English Channel, was commenced during the late war 
between England and France. Even in a time of war, as 
it- then was, the French government gave instructions to 
the commanders of their naval forces in no way to interfere 
with, or molest, the workmen employed in prosecuting 
that work, but, on the contrary, to aid them if necessary. 
This was the course pursued by an enlightened nation 
towards a hostile power, to protect light-houses designed to 
preserve human life, the very opposite of that adopted at 
the South, the extinguishment of all the lights on the coast 
for the purpose of betraying vessels into shipwreck. With 
i*eference to the special point in the resolutions, that which 
concerns the cause of humanity, I will call your attention to 
this view of the case. Suppose, sir, that the Bremen steamer, 
the " Austria,"* which was burned a few years ago at sea, 
or a steamer like her, having four or five hundred lives on 
board, people of all nations, should now be crossing the 
ocean by the banks, or any central route, and take fire, what 
American ship could be expected to go to the burning 
vessel for the purpose of affording relief and succor to the 
unfortunate passengers and crew ? Such a vessel, and every 
other ship that now rides the ocean, will, on the day of her 



* The Bremen steamship Austria, from Hamburg, bound for New- York, 
took fire at sea, and was completely destroyed, on the 13th September, 1858. 
Of tbe 500 lives on board, about 60 were saved by the French bark Maurice. 
A Norwegian bark was presumed to have rescued some others the next day. 

The British steamship Connaught, from Galway, bound for New- York, 
took fire at sea on the 6th October, 1 860. The Minnie Schiifer, attracted by 
the flames, sailed to her rescue, and all the lives on board, 692, were saved 
by her. 



13 

distress, be regarded as a ship burned by a pirate, or Con- 
federate privateer, if there be any distinction ; as a decoy 
to lure to destruction, and will be shunned and avoided ac- 
cordingly. I do not quote the evidence of Captain Hagar 
on this point, with reference to any thing said to him by 
the captain of the Alabama. But we take the fact, that 
the destruction of his ship was reserved until the darkness, 
that her burning timbers might be a decoy, and bring other 
vessels to her rescue to share the same fate. 

The conduct of the captain of the pirate to the crew of 
the captured vessels was most inhuman. The unfortunate 
men were clustered together on the deck, manacled, with- 
out room to lie down at night, or with only room for part 
of them, while the rest were compelled to stand ; and in 
heavy weather they were continually washed by the sea — 
exposure and trials which only the stoutest and strongest 
men could endure. That is the way this pirate Semmes 
treats the sailors of our captured ships. Captain Hagar 
appealed to Semmes to save the ship, as she was filled 
with a British owned cargo. His reply was, " Do you 
think I am only a damned fool, not to burn the ship?" 
taking upon him, as I apprehend, the risk of destroying 
British property, with the foreknowledge that the property 
thus destroyed would be paid for by the so-called Southern 
Confederacy. And thus he mingled all together in one 
common destruction. 

This idea of adjudication over property on the ocean, 
owned by all nations, is the very offence for which we 
have been brought lately to the verge of war with Great 
Britain. No man's memory — no American's — the memory 
of no member of this Chamber, is so short as to have for- 
gotten that occurrence or the nature of that diflficulty. 

In drawing up and asking the assent of the Chamber to 
the resolutions now submitted, I have been careful that 
they should not bear the impress of exaggeration. For 
this reason I have scrupulously forborne in the resolutions, 
or in the introduction to the resolutions, from saying a word 



14 

in relation to the manner in which Great Britain has foiled 
every effort of our government to protect its commerce 
from such enemies as the Alabama. The government, of 
course, is familiar with all the facts of the case. It knows, 
better than others not of the government can^ under what 
circumstances the Nashville, the James Adger and the Tus- 
carora were permitted to leave English ports ; how the two 
latter, United States government ships, were compelled to 
leave insulSicientlj coaled, and in an unfit condition for 
sea. The government and the country know under what 
circumstances these ships were compelled to leave English 
ports ; circumstances and conditions, I venture to say, under 
which no British ship was ever compelled to leave our 
shores, for we still regard Great Britain as a friendly 
power. When British ships visit our harbors, coal and 
every necessary are as free to them as to our own. 

To give you, sir, an idea of the sentiments of the Ameri- 
can people, and of this Chamber, on this subject of neu- 
trality, I will recall to your minds a circumstance which 
occurred seven years ago, in the year 1855, when Russia 
and Great Britain were at war. Fortunately, I have a 
record of the sentiments which this Chamber expressed 
at that particular time on the subject of neutrality : 

You will not have forgotten, that in 1855, on complaint 
of the British consul at this port, to the British minister 
at "Washington, a bark loading for China, (publicly ad- 
vertised,) and receiving freight from various parties, was 
seized by the district attorney of this city, and kept in 
custody two days. Now, the detention of the bark 
Mauky for two days was not of any special importance ; it 
subjected no one to any great inconvenience, for she was 
speedily released when all the facts connected with her 
seizure were stated. This Chamber, nevertheless, thought 
it derogatory to their body, that a vessel owned by one of 
its members, should be seized for an alleged offence against 
the neutrality laws of nations : and, sir, a committee was 
appointed to investigate all the circumstances of that case. 



15 

I will read from the report presented to the Chamber by- 
Mr. John A. Stevens, the chairman of the committee, some 
extracts which seem applicable to the present case : 

" Our laws forbid the being concerned in fitting out any 
" vessel to commit hostilities against any nation at peace 
" with the United States. These laws are the well-known 
" expression of public opinion, and the common consent of 
" the country. They have been enforced, as occasion re- 
" quired, against and in favor of all nations alike; against 
" France, our earliest ally ; in favor of Spain, when we had 
" serious questions w^ith her ; against the weak and rising 
" republics of the Continent; and now, without partiality or 
" fear, against England, the most warlike and the most com- 
" mercial of nations having relations with us. The Cham- 
" ber of Commerce of ISTew-York, holding these enactments 
" binding, equally in law, honor and conscience, claim but 
" a common right in asserting that a charge of violating 
" them — a charge which they deem a disgraceful impeach- 
" ment— should not be lightly made, nor without careful 
" inquiry, against any of their members. The committee 
" commend to the Chamber the adoption of tlie following 
" resolutions : 

" 1. Resolved^ That the Chamber of Commerce of New- 
" York receive and adopt this report as a correct statement, 
" and as containing the sense of this body on the subject. 

" 2. That no proper amends or apology have been made 
" to A. A. Low & Brothers, for the charges brought against 
" them, which, if true, would have rendered them infamous ; 
" nor to the merchants of this city and country, so falsely 
*' and ignorantly assailed. 

" 3. That the merchants of N"ew-rork, as part of the body 
" of merchants of the United States, will uphold thegovern- 
" ment in the full maintenance of the neutrality laws of the 
" country ; and we acknowledge and adopt, and always have 
" regarded, the acts of the United States for preserving its 
" neutrality as binding in honor and conscience, as well as 
" in law ; and that we denounce those who violate them as 



16 

" disturbers of the peace of the world, to be held in universal 
" abhorrence." 

"All of which is i-espectfully submitted." 

John A. Stevens, Stewart Brown, 

George Griswold, Moses H. Grinnell, 

P. Perit, Royal Phelps, 

E. E. Morgan, Robert C. Goodhue, 

Thomas Tileston, James Lee, 

Charles H. Marshall. 



Such, sir, was the judgment which this Chamber formed 
in times of peace, regarding a supposed breach of neu- 
trality against Great Britain, and I apprehend, that this 
Chamber is called upon to justify and re-assert those senti- 
ments now. I do not desire to bring any reproaches against 
Great Britain, but if it has concerned the honor of this 
Chamber to vindicate its character and dignity on a past oc- 
casion against assault, it certainly concerns it now, and it 
concerns the whole nation as well, to vindicate its char- 
acter, not against assaults or offences, but in view of 
the startling fact now made known to us, that a steamer 
has sailed from a British port, which has burned and de- 
stroyed a dozen of our ships at sea, committing their crews 
to chains, and, in all respects, treating them in a cruel 
and inhuman manner. These things concern us, &ir,as a na- 
tion, a yet great and powerful nation ; nothing daunted, and 
in nowise deterred from assorting our rights and our dig- 
nity ; and, sir, it also concerns Great Britain, as a civilized 
nation of the world, to see that there shall be no repetition 
of these outrages against the law of nations on the high 
seas. If, sir, the interests of peace are essential to Great 
Britain, it certainly concerns her. If the interests of hu- 
manity are of value to her people, it concerns Great Britain 
to see that these things are not repeated. 

I do not make the charge against Great Britain that 



she is herself fitting out these piratical vessels. But 
this I do saj, that the departure of the Alabama, known 
as the "290," was as distinctly shadowed forth as if 
she had been publicly advertised in the papers to sail as a 
cruiser of the seas for the so-called Confederate States of 
America. I do not know, and therefore cannot say, on what 
authority it is alleged, that numerous other vessels are 
soon to follow the Alabama. But I do know, that it has 
been reported over and over again, and publicly reported, 
too, that other vessels are being built in the waters of Great 
Britain for the so-called Southern Confederacy. It is said, 
also, that a ram or iron-clad ship is being built for the rebel 
service ; and to-day we read in the public papers, under 
telegraphic intelligence by the Bavaria, that the ship lona, 
loaded with stores for the Confederate government, was 
accidentally sunk on the Clyde. 

Now it cannot be said that the government of England, 
and the merchants of England, indeed, every body in Eng- 
land, are ignorant of this, or of the further fact, that vessels 
are to follow the Alabama and other privateers intended 
to operate against our commerce on the seas, when they 
leave the shores of England, with cargoes of arms, guns, 
and munitions of war, and crews made up of British sub- 
jects, all which are to be transferred to these piratical 
vessels for the purpose of destroying American ships and 
American commerce. 

Therefore, I say that this Chamber ought publicly to ex- 
press the opinion it set forth seven years ago, when the 
situation of the two countries was reversed, when England 
was at war and we were at peace. The sentiments we then 
expressed, when vindicating our character and our honor 
against unfounded aspersion, we may well, and should 
emphatically express as our sentiments to-day, and hold 
thera out for the consideration of the people of England, 
with whom it has ever been our desire to live on terms of 
friendly intercourse. It will be for them to consider what 
impression it will make on the American mind that British 



18 

built ships, manned by Britisb seamen, are sent out to burn 
and destroy our ships pursuing their legitimate courses 
upon the ocean, and to commit their crews to chains. And 
because the law of nations, more careful, it seems, of per- 
sonal interests than the interests of humanity, has so shut 
these pirates out from the ports of every civilized country, 
that they cannot take in their prizes for condemnation in 
the rightful way of law, they must, therefore, condemn them 
by fire on the seas. 

Sir, as a great commercial people, holding and anxious 
to hold friendly relations with the government and people 
of Great Britain, we have a moral right to present these 
views to the government at Washington, and to ask the 
Secretary of State for the United States, through our diplo- 
matic agents abroad, to lay these resolutions before the gov- 
ernments and people of Europe, as containing the senti- 
ments of this Chamber. 

"With these observations I ask the adoption of the resolu- 
tions. 

The resolutions were unanimously adopted. 

On motion of Mr. Maeshall, the Secretary of the Cham- 
ber was instructed to send a copy of the resolutions to the 
President of the United States. 

On motion of Mr. Biekwith, Mr. Low was requested to 
prepare a copy of the remarks with which he supported 
the resolutions ; and the proceedings were ordered to be 
printed. 

John Austin Stevens, Je., 

Secretary. 

Kma-York, October 226?, 1862. 



19 



[Letter to the President,] 

Nexo-YoT\ Oct 22, 1862» 
To THE President of the United States: 

Sir, — I have the honor, under instructions of this Cham- 
ber, respectfully to transmit the accompanying series of 
resolutions, unaaimously passed yesterday, at a special 
meeting, called "to consider what action, if any, should be 
taken in consequence of the burning at sea, by the steamer 
Alabama, of the ship Brilliant and other vessels," and to 
request for them your consideration. 

I am, with high esteem. 

Your obedt. serv., 

John Austin Stevens, Jr., 
Secretary. 



[Letter from John G. Nicolat, Esq., Private Secretary to the President.] 

Executive Mansion, ) 
Washington, Oct. 29, 1862. 1 

Dear Sir, — The resolutions of the New- York Chamber of 
Commerce, transmitted by yourself, as secretary, under 
date of the 22d inst., were duly received some days since, 
laid before the President, and have been referred by him 
to the Hon. Secretary of State. 

Your obedt. servt, 

Jno. G. Kicolat, 

Private Secretary. 
John Austin Stevens, Jr., 

Secretary. 



20 

[Letter to Hon. William H. Sewabd, Secretary of State.] 

New-Yorl, Oct. 22, 1862. 
Hon. William H. Seward, 

Secretary of State : 

Sir, — I am instructed to transmit to you the accompany- 
ing series of resolutions, unanimously passed yesterday, by 
this Chamber, at a special meeting, called to " consider 
what action, if any, should be taken in consequence of the 
burning at sea, by the steamer Alabama, of the ship Bril- 
liant and other vessels." 

I will shortly forward copies for distribution by the 
diplomatic agents of the United States abroad, as requested 
in the resolutions ; and, in behalf of the Chamber, respect- 
fully request that you will issue the necessary instructions 
to ensure their speedy transmission. 

I remain, very respectfully, 

Tour obedient servant, 

John Austin Stevens, Jr., 

Secretary. 



[Letter from Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State.} 

Department of State, 
Washington, 27th Oct., 1862. 

To the Chamber of Commerce of the State of New- York : 

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the loyal, 
patriotic and humane resolutions of the Chamber of Com- 
merce of the State of New- York, concerning the recent 
destruction of American vessels near the Azores, by pirates, 
who went out from the shores of a friendly nation, in viola- 
tion of the restrictions prescribed by municipal as well as 
international laws. By authority of the President, the 
subject has been already commended to the attention of 



21 

the representative of the United States at London. The 
views of the Chamber of Commerce concerning: the same 
wilJ, with pleasure, be promptly made known to him and 
to the other diplomatic, as well as the consular agents of 
the United States residing in maritime countries. 
I have the honor to be, 

Your obedient servant, 

William H. Seward. 



[Letter to Hon. Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy.] 

New-York, Oct, 22, 1862. 
Hon. Gideon "Welles, 

Secretary of the Navy : 

Sif) — I am instructed to transmit to you the accompanying 
series of resolutions, unanimously passed yesterday, by this 
Chamber, at a special meeting, called to "consider what 
action, if any, should be taken in consequence of the burn- 
ing at sea, by the steamer Alabama, of the ship Brilliant 
and other vessels/' 

I have the honor to request for these resolutions your 
perusal and consideration, and am, 
With great respect, 

Your obedient servant, 

John Austin Stevens, Jr., 

Secretary. 



[Letter from Hon. GmEON WixtES, Secretary of the Navy.] 

Navy Department, 

November 1st, 1862. 

Sir, — I have had the honor to receive your communica- 
tion of the 22d ultimo, covering a copy of the resolutions 



22 

unanimously adopted by the Chamber of Commerce of the 
State of Kew-York, in relation to the " burning at sea, by 
the steamer Alabama, of the ship Brilliant and other ves- 
sels," and thank you and the Chamber of Commerce, not 
only for the frank and patriotic expression of the views 
therein contained, but for the consideration and attention 
in communicating them to me. 

I am, very respectfully. 

Your obedient servant, 

Gideon Welles, 
Seeretary of the Mmy, 

Mr. John Austin Stevens, Jr., 

Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce 

of the State of New- YorTc. 



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